Guest Column: Ziock Building helped define Rockford

Saturday

May 7, 2011 at 12:01 AMMay 7, 2011 at 6:23 AM

The Ziock Building was the pride of Rockford and our tallest building in 1912. Two subsequent additions expanded and heightened it. Over the years, the facade and windows have been mutilated to the point where parts of it look like an ugly boarded up bunker.

Gary Anderson

The Ziock Building was the pride of Rockford and our tallest building in 1912. Two subsequent additions expanded and heightened it. Over the years, the facade and windows have been mutilated to the point where parts of it look like an ugly boarded up bunker. And insensitivity to its original architectural design has partially compromised its image and integrity.

Nevertheless, the Ziock Building is still one of Rockford’s tallest buildings. It’s a major contributor to our skyline that defines our city and urban area. Structures such as these are the roots of our city’s existence. They are part of history, define who we were, who we are, and where we will be in the future.

This structure represented the cutting edge of industrial design.

Reinforced concrete is fireproof (a major safety feature in those days). Floors were designed to withstand three times the load capacity we require today. At a time when most factories were otherwise completely enclosed and dimly lit, workers in the Ziock Building benefitted from bright, sunny working environments with natural daylight. William Ziock Jr. built and owned the Ziock Building. The safe and comfortable work environment that he provided for his employees was groundbreaking. Ziock knew that he could conserve land by building a multistory tower. He also maximized the use of natural daylight. Both of these virtues are still valued today.

The industrial and manufacturing fabric of Rockford left us with numerous buildings, rich with historically significant features and aspects.

Unfortunately, we’ve squandered many of them. Without question the Ziock building is structurally sound. Reinstalling its massive windows would significantly improve the building’s appearance and an appreciation of its original design.

Sadly, too many people have the view that demolishing old buildings is a solution to something. In stark contrast to cities throughout the world, anything old seems to mean that it has no value. Without thinking, we have destroyed millions of square feet of quality buildings, discarding them like yesterday’s newspaper.

As taxpayers, we should be outraged. Historically, commercial and industrial sectors bore a much larger portion of our overall tax burden. Now, as big buildings disappear, individual taxpayers shoulder a constantly growing portion.

Is there any good news? Yes, Stewart Square, Garrison School and the East Side Center could well have been empty lots today. They were slated for demolition but instead were saved. They are examples of historic buildings in downtown Rockford that are useful business enterprises, contributing to the community sense of place and, yes, paying taxes.

The Ziock Building has every attribute to be one of our finest. Large expanses of glass, tall ceilings, dramatic views of downtown, the river and Fordam Dam, roof top penthouses and indoor parking all lend themselves to a great mixed-use building.

The significance of a historic landmark building is judged on factors such as how it contributed to our history and social fabric and the significance of its design and construction. Two major companies with international exposure, that revolutionized their respective industries, started and expanded in the Ziock Building. William Ziock was a key contributor to the development of the knitting industry.

The Aldeen brothers started Amerock as a cabinet hardware company, eventually commanding 70 percent of the American market. Each created a legacy of ingenuity and innovation and an unprecedented appreciation for the well-being of employees. We genuinely need successful models to constantly remind us of our path to the future.

The Ziock Building is a solid, well-designed, art deco-inspired building, key to the long-term viability of the downtown and all of Rockford.